Chapter 23: The Situation of Mutants in This World
I immediately began digging into other crucial information about this world—starting with one word that kept echoing relentlessly in my mind: mutants.
I opened a series of dark forums filled with anonymous discussions, accessed official documents that had been deliberately obscured from the public eye, and read old historical articles that seemed as though they were being erased from society’s collective memory.
Some sites even required layered passwords and hidden access routes, as if the world itself were trying to conceal its old wounds.
With every sentence I read, my breathing grew heavier. This world was not merely harsh—it was riddled with prejudice so deeply rooted that it had begun to rot within the very foundation of its social structure.
Hatred toward mutants was not just an opinion; it had become a culture passed down from generation to generation, planted through sensational news reports, political speeches, and fear carefully cultivated with deliberate intent.
As in most Marvel realities, mutants in this world were never truly accepted. They were seen as living threats—time bombs that could explode at any moment. Many people referred to them as “monsters” in hushed tones, as though whispers were somehow harmless.
Fear wrapped itself around society’s face like a thin veil, while hatred hid behind fragile moral justifications. They spoke of security and peace, but what they truly meant was control and restriction.
This world still had Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. However, Charles Xavier had long since passed away. The school’s name had now changed to the Grey School for Gifted Youngsters, led and owned by Jean Grey.
Just reading Jean’s name alone allowed me to imagine the grand building standing across a vast, silent estate—long corridors with marble floors reflecting the amber glow of late afternoon light, classrooms that had once witnessed heated debates about ideals, grueling training sessions, teenage laughter, and tears of loss.
Once, that place had been a symbol of hope, the heart of a philosophy centered on coexistence. Now, under Jean Grey’s leadership, the atmosphere must be different—stronger, quieter, perhaps more cautious.
Jean Grey. A woman whose power was like a solar storm sealed within a human body. Her telepathy and telekinesis were not mere abilities but cosmic forces that had once shaken the world itself. If she now led the school, then this world must have endured something immense—something powerful enough to alter the course of history.
It wasn’t only Charles who was gone. Magneto—Max Eisenhardt, also known as Erik Magnus Lehnsherr—had died as well. Those names once stood as the two poles of mutant ideology: one spoke of coexistence, the other of dominance and protection through strength.
Now, the Brotherhood was led by Juggernaut and Mystique.
Two names that made the back of my neck prickle.
Juggernaut—brutal, unstoppable force incarnate, a living wall that crushed anything in its path. And Mystique, the shapeshifter, a living shadow capable of becoming anyone, infiltrating anywhere, planting lies without detection.
Without Charles and Magneto to balance each other, the mutant world seemed to have lost its axis. Ideologies no longer debated—they collided without restraint.
Yet what shocked me the most was the information about the Hellfire Club. The elite organization synonymous with dirty politics, shadow power, and the cunning games of aristocrats was now led by Ororo Munroe.
I blinked several times, making sure I hadn’t misread.
Ororo Munroe. Storm. The Goddess of the Skies who could summon tempests, command lightning, and turn a clear sky into apocalypse within seconds. Wasn’t Ororo supposed to be one of the X-Men? A figure of strong morality, a symbol of wise leadership? How could she possibly lead an organization long known for manipulation and hunger for power?
Was this betrayal? Or evolution?
Perhaps this world had endured conflicts far darker than the film and comic versions I once knew. Perhaps impossible choices had forced heroes to stand on sides they had once opposed.
I let out a long breath and leaned back into the chair. At the very least, I now had a clearer picture of the mutant situation in this world.
Yet instead of relief, the understanding only made my chest feel heavier. It was as if the long history of bloodshed, discrimination, and ideological wars had settled onto my shoulders, pressing down with invisible weight.
This world was fragile. And mutants stood right along its cracks.
So what was I supposed to do?
Continuing to work at Stark Industries as a security guard wasn’t a bad option. The salary was stable, and the environment was relatively safe—at least on paper.
But I knew very well that being near the largest tech company in the world meant standing at the eye of a storm. Stark had always been a magnet for trouble: invasions, failed experiments, cosmic threats, global conspiracies.
I could picture myself standing there in a stiff uniform that felt just a little too tight across the shoulders, staring at rows of surveillance monitors casting a pale blue glow over my face.
On those screens, there would probably be nothing more than clean corridors, sealed laboratories, and high-security storage rooms. Meanwhile, outside—beneath the same sky—heroes and villains would be clashing, explosions of light tearing through the clouds, sirens wailing like the war song of a modern city.
It sounded boring… even if danger occasionally reared its head. A sudden attack by some lunatic trying to steal Stark Industries technology. A mysterious drone invasion. An experiment spiraling out of control without warning.
The danger was real, sure. But most of my time would likely be spent sitting there, waiting for something to happen.
And waiting had never been my strong suit.
Should I work alone instead? Build something of my own? Like… making games?
Ironically, even though technological development in this world far surpassed my old one—with more refined artificial intelligence, quantum networks, and computing devices that bordered on magic—the gaming industry wasn’t particularly popular.
People here seemed obsessed with hyper-realistic technology: full-body holography, direct immersion into virtual worlds that felt like living dreams, even consciousness simulations that blurred the line between reality and illusion.
Simple games like the ones I used to play—strong narratives, clever mechanics, challenges that forced players to think—were considered too… outdated. Too flat compared to hyper-realistic experiences where you could practically “live” inside the simulation.
And yet, that was exactly where I saw an opening.
I figured it would be best to keep working at Stark Industries for a few months. Save up enough money. Understand the rhythm of this world. Study its technology indirectly, from the sidelines.
After that, I’d start my own game company. A small studio, maybe just a handful of people at first. Focused on storytelling. On crafting experiences that didn’t just indulge the senses, but touched emotions.
Yeah… I think that would be one of my new goals in this world.
Building a dream from scratch—in a world that wasn’t even originally mine—sounded insane. But maybe that was precisely the point.
If I simply followed the current, I’d drift into becoming a background character. But if I built something of my own, no matter how small, at least I’d be living as myself—not as a shadow of my former life.
Of course, being Spider-Man and beating up criminals would still be part of my free time. That was responsibility… and, if I were honest, part of the fun.
The sensation of leaping from building to building, wind crashing against my face, adrenaline surging through my veins—that was something no security monitor could ever replace.
Still, my life as Dante Arashi came first. I wasn’t the kind of person who made a mask his true identity.
Come to think of it, wasn’t Bruce Wayne a little crazy? Seriously. Who in their right mind puts on a bat costume and patrols dark alleys every night without a fixed salary? And he’s a billionaire. He could be relaxing in a luxurious villa, traveling the world, or simply sipping expensive coffee while reading the financial pages in peace.
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